It is prevalent for ceramic tile installers to utilize a tile spacer in order to obtain a consistent gap distance between the tiles. Conventional tile spacers do not adjust for differences in the elevation of the subfloor below the tile. The height adjustable tile spacer addresses and solves this problem.
Installing tile flooring is a challenging task due to the individual pieces requiring precise cuts and the need to achieve a perfect, consistent pattern during the installation. Part of the challenge is the spacing between each tile section which will later allow for grout to be installed. Plastic spacers can be set to aid in this process, but they must be moved individually when the next piece is to be installed. Additionally, the plastic only allows for one dimension to be set at a time, thus multiple spacers must be set for just one (1) piece of tile. This practice will result in the user trying to juggle the tile along with several spacers with less than satisfactory results. Finally, such spacers only adjust for the width of the grout line and do nothing for leveling the height of the tile over an uneven subfloor. In this circumstance, the user must repeatedly use the “apply, tap, remove” process until the tile is just right. While these problems are difficult for the professional tile installer, they prove to be almost insurmountable for the do-it-yourselfer. Accordingly, a need has developed for a device that overcomes the problems associated with establishing consistent spacing and elevation when setting tiles on floors. The tile spacer herein described fulfills this need.
Several attempts have been made in the past to invent tile spacers. U.S. Pat. No. D 492,210 issued to Shilo discloses a tile spacer that appears to be a hexagonal shaped spacer with a central opening. Unfortunately, this design patent does not appear to disclose a device similar in appearance to the spacer described herein, nor does it appear to comprise a centrally-threaded screw with an attached wing nut to elevate the tile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,874,242 issued to Shilo discloses a dual spacing width tile spacer that is square in configuration and comprises a circular central opening. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer that comprises a circular spacer with a plurality of spacer tabs and a centrally-threaded screw with a permanently mounted wing nut.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,049 issued to Claxton discloses an adjustable tile spacing device that appears to be four tile spacers set on an adjustable frame to consistently space the tiles. Unfortunately, this device does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer with a centrally threaded screw to permit elevation of the tile to adjust for differences in the subflooring beneath the tile.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,858 issued to Muller appears to disclose a spacing tool comprising a pair of intersecting planes. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer comprising a circular spacer with an internally-threaded aperture that accepts a centrally-threaded screw to adjust the elevation of the tile.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,799 issued to Kowalski discloses a device and process for aligning exterior faces of tiles of irregular thickness when mounting said tiles. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer comprising a circular spacer disk comprising a plurality of spacer tabs with a threaded aperture to accept a centrally-threaded screw with an attached wing nut.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,783 issued to Smith discloses a tile spacer for simultaneously aligning tiles along their width during setting that appears to comprise a spacer with four (4) legs set at ninety degree (90°) angles and a perpendicular handle. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer comprising a centrally-threaded screw with attached wing nut that is adjustable through a circular disk to adjust the elevation of a time during setting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,534 issued to Tayshanjian discloses a circular platform upon which rest on one side a cross-shaped spacer and on the other side a tee-shaped spacer. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a tile spacer that adjusts the elevation of a tile during setting utilizing a circular spacer disk with a threaded aperture through which a centrally-threaded screw moves nor does it appear that this device is designed to permit the permanent installation of the circular platform.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,201,130 issued to Krchnak appears to disclose a tile template that comprises a plurality of arms disposed a various angles to maintain equidistant spacing between tiles. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a tile spacer comprising a circular spacer disk with a plurality of tabs and a centrally threaded screw with attached wing nut that cooperate to adjust the elevation of a tile to correct any unevenness in the sub flooring structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,142 issued to Rieck discloses a deck spacing tool that appears to comprise a vertically extending blade with a pair of horizontally extending arms. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a tile spacer that comprises a circular spacer disk capable of being manipulated in a manner so as to bring a tile into a level configuration during tiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,341 issued to Joos discloses a single piece spacer for laying tile comprising a plurality of legs extending from a common juncture. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a tile spacer with a centrally threaded aperture that accepts a threaded screw with an integral wing nut to adjust a tile during tiling in a vertical manner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,068 issued to Golkar discloses a spacer with a plurality of configurations that comprise arms that provide for even spacing of tiles during tiling. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer comprising a circular spacer disk with a plurality of spacer tabs located thereon and a threaded screw that adjusts the vertical elevation of a tile during tiling.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,497 issued to Boettcher discloses a flooring spacer that comprises a head that may be grasped manually by a tongue that inserts into the void. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,010,213 in the name of Rodtz discloses a tile spacer. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,930,135 in the name of Rodtz discloses a tile setting gauge. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,495 in the name of Walston discloses a glass building block aligner. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,031,684 in the name of Berger discloses a tile spacer. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer.
U.S. Patent Application Number 2002/0121027 in the name of Kruskamp discloses a device and method for spacing tiles. Unfortunately this patent does not appear to disclose a height adjustable tile spacer.
None of the prior art particularly describes a spacer that can be used to evenly space tiles during setting and that adjusts for differences in elevation of the subflooring. Accordingly, there exists a need for a height adjustable tile spacer comprised of a circular disk with spacer tabs located thereon and a centrally threaded screw that operates without the disadvantages as described above.